View PDF version of this page

MAHTOXI. •2Λ there foi* a month or more the new Commandant who came from Genoa died, and many others were dying, which terrified me greatly, and I remained those days in the city in great fear, chiefly because I was separated from in y companions, and had no helper or worldly adviser to keep me sound and restore me to my country. Of tlte church of S, Nicolas. The mother church of Famagosta is dedicated to S. Nicolas, vaulted and very fair, with many chapels round it. The Bishop of that church is a Genoese, who formerly when the city was under the rule of the king of Cyprus had annually from the revenues of the church 4000 ducats. Now, he told me, he had not 2000 ducats a year, because he had lost all his dues from the island since the Genoese came to rule in that city. And I can well believe his poverty, for one day after hearing mass in the said church of S. Nicolas, finding myself badly in want of money I thought to ask an alms for the love of God of the said bishop, and I approached him with reverence as a pilgrim^ ami said to him " Father and lord, it is my fate to say those words of the Gospel : 11 cannot dig, to beg I am ashamed.' I beg your paternity to help a poor pilgrim with some charitable donation/' He replied that he had not wherewithal to live in that church. 1 heard matins on the night of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and masses and other eustomary offices during the same feast. Of the fruit-market. Between that church of S. Nicolas and the palace where now dwells the Commandant, which formerly belonged to the king of Cyprus when he ruled in that city—a line palace with a large fore-court, many buildings and a fair garden—is a court larger than that of Capua, in which are sold bread, a great quantity of vegetables and other fruits, just as at Capua ; and daily there are sold there cloths and many other things at auction. This court is, I think, in the middle of the city. Of the house of S. Francis. In this tomi is a house of S. Francis, passing fair, with a fair cloister, a dormitory, many oells and other rooms, with a fine garden and a quantity of conduits, wells and cisterns. The Guardian told me that they live badly, and get indifferent alms. Of the church of S. Stephan. In the same city is a church dedicated to S. Stephen, a fine building with a hospital, though at that time the hospital was shabbily kept. In which church I heard a solemn mass on S. Stephen's day, and saw some bones of his body and many other relics of saints. In this chureh is a crucifix fairer than I have seen anywhere, adorned and chased all round in pure gold. Of the Monastery of S. Maria de Cammino. In the same city is a monastery of S. Maria de Cammino. The church is very fair and dignified, vaulted, with chapels round, with very beautiful scenes and pictures, and a right fair cloister with oranges and other fruits. There is also a dormitory, and many other rooms for the use of the monks. In this chureh I saw the undermentioned holy relics, to wit: The head of the blessed Ursuline, very beautifully shrined in silver. A bone of the shin of S. Leo, Pope. The head of S. Cnfinus. The head of S. Sosius. And a piece of the wood of the holy cross of our Lord.

View PDF version of this page